A Tale of More Woe
by Truthful Blasphemy
Summary: Bay spends a month at Silver Lake Fine Arts Camp to improve her painting skills, but ends up having more fun in her Shakespeare Studies class with the handsome Emmett. Will the story they're acting out reflect their lives and blossoming romance, or will Bay and Emmett be able to overcome all obstacles and prove that not all star-crossed lovers are doomed to failure? AU Bemmett
1. Chapter 1

**This is just a test run chapter, so I'd appreciate it if everyone who read it gave me their opinion. Even if it's just a one-word review like "good" or "bad". If I get some positive feed-back I'll keep going. If not...I'll delete it and try again.**

**Also, if you want to be a camper/character at Silver Lake (which is, yes, based on Blue Lake in MI) just send me a short little profile through a private message and I might add you in!**

**Disclaimer: ABC Family owns "Switched at Birth"**

_Song: Give 'Em Hell, Kid_

_Artist: My Chemical Romance_

* * *

I walked into the registration building, my slightly crumpled paperwork held tightly in my hand. The small, pudgy woman at the "Last Name H-M" desk asked for my name. I introduced myself and gave her the papers I'd been coveting for weeks.

"Ah yes, welcome to Silver Lake Fine Arts Camp," she smiled warmly, shuffling through a short stack of folders to find the one with my name on it. She was far more sincere than I expected from an underpaid camp employee and I couldn't help but smile back and accept the proffered cabin assignment. "You're in the Van Gogh unit in Cabin Four!"

"Thank you!" I beamed, checking the stack of brochures and papers she'd handed me. "Where do I pick up my uniform stuff?"

"That's just off of main camp in the performance dome," she explained, pointing me where to go. "Take your order receipt and show them, they should have everything you need already waiting." I thanked her again for her tremendous help and exited the air-conditioned building. Following her instructions, I walked down a short pathway and into the main performance dome where only a few students had gathered to pick up their uniform shirts and fleeces.

"Bay Kennish," I told the grumpy old man sorting through bags of shirts. He rustled around for awhile before finding the one labeled with my unique name and handing it to me with a forced smile. "Thank you so much!"

_There is no way to ruin my good mood, _I decided upon returning to my car. Toby, who had come along to take care of the car after registration day, drove me to the Van Gogh unit and made sure my bag, uniforms, sleeping bag, and pillow made it safely into cabin four; I was freakishly early for registration due to the unbridled excitement and was the first one in my cabin, so I was first to choose a bunk. The bottom bunk near the window was the only one I tested that didn't squeak, so I quickly claimed it as my own and unrolled my sleeping bag onto it, tossing my pillow on top for good measure.

"You excited, sis?" Toby asked, looking around the cabin. Several other bunk-beds were set up around a central space. The blocked-off area in the corner with a cot in it almost resembled a room except for the fact that the walls were only three-and-a-half-feet high.

"Yes! Do you know how amazing this is?" I nearly squealed, spinning in a happy circle.

"Apparently I don't know enough," Toby laughed, taking a peek out the cabin's front door. "Everyone is in uniform; why not change so you blend in?"

"Good idea!" I exclaimed, tossing my shirt off and making Toby flinch before he realized I was wearing a camisole. Over the top of that went my new light-grey _Silver Lake Fine Arts Camp _uniform polo shirt. My modest-length jean shorts were already regulation, so I didn't need to change those. "Toby! I'm a Silver Lake girl!"

"Our little artist," Toby said mockingly, wiping away a fake tear, "Off to camp for a month."

"Oh, shut up," I replied. I stuck my tongue out for good measure.

"Want to explore a little? We don't have to be back here until around four and it's only two," Toby offered.

"Yeah! Why not? Plus I need to figure out where all my classes are going to be," I sighed, reaching for the schedule on top of my duffel bag.

"What's first?" Toby asked as we strolled along the gravel path between units. Girls were running to and fro between units and cabins, hugging and high-fiving, their excited chatter filling the air. Most of them had blue or red name-tags, which signaled returning campers. My plain white first-year tag made me feel alone and a little embarrassed.

"Well…here, you read it," I shoved it into Toby's hands, suddenly self-conscious of the little white plastic circle pinned to my chest reading _Bay Kennish. _

Toby perused my schedule, which I had already memorized.

5:00 Am – Wake-up call

6:30 Am – Breakfast (Main Hall)

7:30 Am – Painting (North Prescott Building)

9:00 Am – Composition and Drawing (West Prescott Building)

10:30 Am – Painting Two (North Prescott Building)

12:00 Pm – Lunch (Main Hall)

1:00 Pm – Free Time

3:00 Pm – Shakespeare Studies (Silver Lake Elizabethan Theatre)

5:00 Pm – Dinner

6:00 Pm – Free Time

7:30 Pm – Concert (Performances vary)

9:00 Pm – In Unit

10:00 Pm – Lights Out

"Jeez Bay," he laughed, handing it back to me, "You're all over the place!"

"I know!" I smiled giddily, reading over it again. "I'll never have a dull moment!"

"You're going to come back dead tired after a month of this, though," Toby warned. "You push yourself too hard sometimes. And since when have you been interested in Shakespeare?"

"He inspired a painting of mine when I was signing up for camp, so I figured it would be fun to take a class about him while I'm here," I shrugged. "I'll be fine though."

"Here's the first stop, the Prescott Building," Toby announced. I was too distracted for the next hour and half to really care about anything other than my beautiful surroundings. We checked art classrooms, art exhibits, and a few pieces of outdoor poetry written by last year's campers and hung out to be shown off. Around four o'clock Toby walked me back to my unit, said goodbye, and took The Thing back home with him, officially leaving me stranded at Silver Lake Fine Arts Camp for a month. Dinner, talking with my cabin mates, and getting ready for bed seemed like a streak of light and the next thing I knew I was waking up again.

The whole morning was a blur, and I wasn't totally awake until half-way through Painting Two, when I snapped to attention. "Bay, your painting skills are incredible for someone your age," my instructor, Bernette, exclaimed in her breezy way. "The blend of tragic colors is so…_renaissance, _I love it!"

"Uh…thanks," I smiled back. To be honest, I didn't even know what the mess of blurred, dark lines on my canvas was supposed to be. I had just painted it in stupid sleepiness, trying to convey my sense of I-wish-I-was-still-in-bed. Maybe that's how they felt in the renaissance…

After lunch I spent my free time sketching different students on campus. One girl whispering what I believe were sweet nothings to her violin, a boy proposing to another boy in Ibe and two girls speaking in fluent sign language, only some of which I was able to pick up with my three-year language education. All I knew is that they were talking about some cute boy from one of their classes and I smiled and rolled my eyes, deciding to draw them next.

But as fate would have it, free time was nearly over and I had to rush off to my next class, which was a ways away from main campus, Shakespeare Studies. I was the second person there with several minutes more to spare than expected. The person who had beaten me was a rather attractive boy with brown-red hair, who rested against the building with his eyes closed. Inspired, and with nothing else to do but wait, I sat down nearby and pulled out my sketchbook again, doing an outline of his face and shoulders, slowly filling in the details until other students and the flamboyant teacher arrived.

I lost sight of the cute redhead as the instructor, who introduced himself as Mr. Bradshaw, tried to herd our rowdy group of teens onto the stage. "This is the world's first miniaturized Shakespearean theatre built specifically for students to work in," he explained, motioning around the open theatre. It was O-shaped, with an open ceiling, a space on the ground between the seats and the stage, and second story seats and a balcony. "That down there is where the poor would stand. They were called groundlings. There are the galleries, the heavens, hell, the balcony, the valley of death, backstage, and the stage."

The students murmured their excitement between each other before turning their attention back to Mr. Bradshaw. "What exactly will we be doing in this class?" one student asked.

"Good question," the instructor replied, "We will actually be doing an abridged performance of one of Shakespeare's plays."

"Which one?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked! This year, since the Silver Lake Elizabethan Theatre, just call her Elizabeth, is so new, we will be doing a very stereotypical play. A crowd pleaser. We will be doing Romeo and Juliet: the Abridged Tragedy," Mr. Bradshaw explained. Most of the kids reacted excitedly, including me. I had a sort of secret love affair with Romeo and Juliet, which was less of a romance and more of a political statement about miss-communication.

"What about Emmett?" another girl piped, pointing to a figure at the back of the group.

"What about him?" Mr. Bradshaw

"He's deaf."

"I know," Mr. Bradshaw smiled, "So he'll just sign his lines and the rest of you will sign yours along with speaking them. It'll be a fun learning experience for everybody!"

One of the girls next to me leaned over and whispered to her friend, "We have to speak stupid old English _and _sign language? Ugh, how bad can this class get?"

"If you don't like old English you shouldn't have signed up," I snapped, crossing my arms. The girl turned towards me, "And American Sign Language is a beautiful language spoken by a beautiful group of people."

"Nobody asked you," she shot back, turning around to listen to Mr. Bradshaw again. I rolled my eyes and listened to the end of his speech, detailing tomorrow's auditions. Then he handed out scripts and told us goodbye.

On my way out the door, I was stopped by a tap on the shoulder. Turning, I came face-to-shoulder with the handsome redheaded I'd been sketching earlier. "Oh, hi," I smiled. He smiled back.

**"My name is E-M-M-E-T-T," **he signed, followed by a motion similar to the sign for 'boy' which I took was his name sign.

**"B-A-Y," **I replied shakily. I hadn't been signing a lot recently, and though I remembered how to say what I needed to, I was out of practice and my hands were clumsy.

**"Thanks for sticking up for deaf people back there," **Emmett signed to me, his sideways smirk both extremely sexy and innocently adorable. _This boy is a walking paradox already and I barely even know him. _

**"Your language and culture are beautiful. People should be less ignorant and more respectful," **I huffed. He beamed. Then I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, **"How did you know what I said back there?"**

**"I read lips. And yes, it's harder than it sounds. And no, I'm not offended that you didn't know I read lips,"** Emmett explained.

**"Cool," **I blinked up at him. He laughed silently.

**"****Want to hang out today during free time and look at our scripts?" **he asked, motioning towards main campus. I nodded.

**"Yeah! Want to help me with a couple signs?" **I asked, hoping that asking for help wouldn't offend him. _Some people who speak different languages get offended if they're asked to translate…please don't be offended…please don't be offended…_

**"Sure," **Emmett nodded, laying his long arm across my shoulders and leading me toward the snack bar on main campus. **"If you buy me an ice cream."**

** "Deal."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well the last chapter got such good reviews (and so many! Yay!) that I couldn't NOT post another chapter. So here is Chapter 2 of A Tale of More Woe. The story's Cover/Banner will be up soon, hopefully by tonight. So check that out and tell me what you think! **

**I seriously need some more campers for this story. And reviews make me write faster, jussayin.**

_Song: Getting To Know You_

_Artist: The King and I (Movie Soundtrack)_

* * *

"I don't even want to know what this 'food' is made of," Bay cringed, pushing the soggy pancake around her tray. Her yogurt, the only seemingly good food available at breakfast, was gone and her stomach still grumbled. "Whatever, it looks like I'm waiting until free-time."

"Aw, c'mon, Bay. I know you're used to much better but this is still pretty good," her cabin-mate, Abby, smiled. Her mouthful of pancake made Bay roll her eyes.

"You guys are pure crazy," she chuckled as Abby continued her antics of overly-dramatized enjoyment of the so-called breakfast food. Bay was relieved when trash was discarded and the students rushed from the building in grey-clad waves, headed to their classes. Today she would be studying a place on campus, any place at all, and then painting it abstractly to see if her teacher could guess what the subject was. It was a fun exercise, and Bay found herself growing more and more excited as she checked in to get supplies. She took her time wandering around and looking for something to paint. Silver Lake was huge and full of interesting pieces of art and beautiful buildings.

At last she set her tray of paints and small canvas down next to the dance building. Slowly, as she focused, grey blocks appeared on the canvas next to swirling pink blurred dancers. Brown lined bars and tall, light blue mirrors took singular, abstract presence on the paper piece-by-piece until the painting was complete, and Bay had to scurry back to her art class. The teacher accepted her canvas, hung it to dry, and released her for her next class.

Bay was impatient all the way through Composition and Drawing and Painting Two went well (the teacher couldn't guess what the subject was and Bay explained it triumphantly, claiming the Abstraction Prize). Lunch passed as uneventfully as breakfast, although the veggie-burgers were much more palatable than the cardboard pancakes. At free-time, Bay bought herself an ice-cream cone and sat down in the shade of a tree to sketch with her free hand as she ate. She was just finishing up the penciled portrait of an angry looking cellist when someone sat down next to her.

A hand waved in front of her face, making Bay blink and turn to face its owner: a very smug Emmett. **"Oh hi, sorry," **Bay signed apologetically, **"I was drawing. It really pulls me in. I get kind of lost in the art."**

** "I see that. You're pretty good," **before Bay could protest, Emmett had pulled the sketchbook from her lap and was flipping through it. He paused on one of the portraits and turned it back to face her. With a blush, Bay recognized her sketch of Emmett from the day before by the theatre.

**"You looked peaceful," **Bay explained. She finished the last bite of ice cream cone and wiped her hands on her shorts. **"I was inspired."**

** "I see that, too," **Emmett grinned again and handed the sketchbook back to a slightly embarrassed Bay. **"You're actually really good."**

** "Thanks," **Bay half-smiled in return. She pulled her _Romeo and Juliet: The Abridged Tragedy _script from her bag and looked at Emmett. **"Want to practice? Auditions are today."**

** "Sure," **her cute companion returned, and they practiced for the next hour or so before walking together to The Elizabeth just in time for class.

"Auditions today will be held like this: I will pair you up and you will read the first four lines of the ball scene between Romeo and Juliet," Mr. Bradshaw explained, his expressive eyebrows making even Emmett snort quietly. "Alright, everyone into the gallery! Scoot!"

**"This will be interesting," **Emmett smirked at Bay, and she crossed her eyes back at him.

"First may I have Lillian and Andrew up here?" Mr. Bradshaw asked, instructing them awkwardly through their signed and spoken words (it was difficult to hold a script, read, and sign). "Alright, very good for the first people to get up there and audtion. Now Bay and Ian, you're up next, please."

_Bay's Point of View_

I was disappointed when Emmett and I weren't called up together, but I don't know why I had hoped or expected it. He was cute and I was having a fun time getting to know him, but the amount of disappointment I was feeling was strange. I brushed it off in time to quickly and accurately (with the proper amount of emotional and facial expression, I hoped) audition for Juliet in ASL and out-loud. After sitting down next to Emmett, a few other couples went up. Then Mr. Bradshaw turned to Emmett and signed for him and Elaina to go up next.

He was wonderful. The facial expressions he made along with his lines were perfect; matching Romeo's flirty but reverent attitude towards Juliet during their initial meeting. His hands flew with a surety that would take years for me to truly come to own myself. He returned to his seat next to me. **"How did I do?" **he asked, eyebrows furrowed in honest eagerness to know.

**"You did great, obviously," **I replied. **"Your face is just so…perfect."**

** "Why thank you," **he smirked at me, looking all too much like James Dean.

**"Don't get too confident," **I returned.

_Third Person Point of View_

Mr. Bradshaw observed the obvious ease Bay and Emmett had around each other, seeing how much they had bonded and over so short a time. The other kids in the class looked at Emmett strangely, clearly not understanding what it was like being deaf. Bay, on the other hand, tried to learn from Emmett. Even when she messed up her signs, he helped her through and she picked up fast.

The idea of performing the play in ASL as well as out-loud had come to Mr. Bradshaw even before having Emmett registered in his class. The world could use some education on topics that it almost _wanted _to remain ignorant about. And the best way to teach someone was through the arts, a medium known for its advancements on many subjects. Shakespeare himself had been an active advocate for change.

"Alright, everyone, I have the cast!" the teacher announced loudly, standing up and clapping. Bay tapped Emmett on the shoulder and they both turned to face the instructor. "Bay and Emmett will be Romeo and Juliet. Ian will be Mercutio, Andrew is Benvolio, and Marcus is Father Bartholomew and Prince Escalus. Ethan will be playing Tibalt. Elaina is the Nurse and Lillian will be Capulet's Wife. Since we only have so many boys, Marley will be playing Capulet and Andrea will be Montague. Please highlight your parts in your scripts and talk to me about translating as you memorize your lines. I want you off-book, meaning no scripts on stage, by the end of the week."

Grumbles and excited whispers could be heard through the crowd of teens, who slowly ambled their way out of The Elizabeth and back to main campus. Bay seemed to be stuck in a fog of confusion the entire way, and Emmett merely followed her wandering footsteps until they ended up back under their tree. **"Dinner time."**

** "Right. I'll see you after? During free-time? Meet me back here?" **Bay asked, looking around to find her cabin mates.

**"Yeah, see you here," **Emmett nodded. They dashed off in opposite directions to find their cabins to sit with at dinner, knowing that the next month was going to be both confusing and interesting.

**"So you got Romeo, huh?" **the only other deaf guy Emmett had met so far, his cabin mate Rufus, asked. Emmett nodded, his mouth full of semi-warm potato salad.

**"Yeah, and this really hot girl in my class got Juliet," **Emmett replied, drawing the shape of a curvy female figure after he finished signing.

**"Lucky," **Rufus replied, rolling his eyes. **"All the dance girls think I'm gay."**

** "Tell them you're not," **Emmett said, taking his turn at eye-rolling.

**"None of them sign!" **Rufus replied in frustration, tossing his fork onto his tray for emphasis.

**"Sorry dude," **Emmett shrugged, taking another bite of potato salad.

**"Wait, your hot girl signs?" **Rufus asked incredulously.

**"Yes. She's not the best, but we can have pretty good conversations. She picks up fast and she knows a lot for a hearing girl," **Emmett shrugged.

**"Now you're just really lucky," **Rufus sighed. They finished dinner and cleaned up, following everyone else onto main campus. Emmett saw Bay waiting for him next to their tree and got Rufus's attention.

**"See the girl with the curly brown hair by that tree?" **Emmett asked, grinning widely when Rufus nodded yes. **"That's my hotty."**

** "Dude, she is attractive. Can I have her?" **Rufus asked, checking Bay out from where they stood. Emmett was slightly confused at the rush of protectiveness he felt watching Rufus's eyes scan Bay up and down and he quickly shook his head. The mask of male bravado returned as Emmett signed that Bay was his and told Rufus goodbye, jogging over to said attractive girl.

**"I almost thought you weren't going to show!" **Bay signed with a smile.

**"And miss out on seeing my Juliet, no way," **Emmett teased.

**"Romeo, you do run your hands too much," **Bay replied. Emmett laughed and took her hand in his, leading her back down to the gazebo by The Elizabeth. Very few students gathered there during free-time and it was a great place to talk. He tugged Bay into the gazebo and sat her across from him on a bench.

**"Ask me anything," **Emmett said.

**"What's your major?" **Bay asked.

**"Photography, yours?" **Emmett returned.

**"Painting," **Bay nodded.

**"I bet you're good," **Emmett signed.

**"How would you even know?" **Bay said, sticking her tongue out. Emmett snorted.

**"I saw your sketches. Plus I'm watching you sign. You're pretty good with your hands," **he signed to her, not realizing the double entendre until it was too late.

**"Really now, Romeo, am I?" **Bay teased. Emmett laughed and Bay laughed along.

**"You're a good signer, Bay, and so far you're a good friend, too," **Emmett replied when they had finished giggling.

**"You are too," **Bay replied. **"A good friend. We should highlight our lines, you know, for tomorrow."**

Emmett and Bay each fished their scripts from their bags. Both of them were secretly hoping that the other one would come to realize them as more than a friend, but it was too soon to tell where things would lead. Romeo and Juliet was, after all, a tragedy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Come on, you guys. I know you can review better than that! I have another idea for a story I want to do after this one. Something inspired by Natalie's speech on Deaf Culture in Melody's class. It'll be fun.**

**But this one must be finished first. And For Eternity, I suppose.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Switched at Birth.**

**I have gone through and added songs to each chapter, because I like doing that. Yay!**

_Song: Invisible Touch_

_Artist: Genesis_

* * *

Bay sat on the wooden bench in the gallery, reviewing her lines over and over until they were pressed firmly into the back of her hippocampus, both in English and ASL. Emmett was onstage learning the choreography for the sword-fighting scene between him and Ethan, the most fabulous Tybalt that Bay had ever seen. He said his lines with such vehemence and emotion, something that was often difficult to achieve onstage for any performance. He almost _became _the character. But Mr. Bradshaw had said the same thing about her, hadn't he?

Of course, Mr. Bradshaw didn't know that Bay had developed a very real crush on her handsome Romeo. She blushed to herself, realizing that she had been staring into space. Turning back to her lines, she listened to the loud _thud thud thwack _of the wooden swords hitting each other again and again. The same pattern had to be repeated constantly to ensure the safety of the fighters as well as the realistic look of the fight. As much as she wanted to look up and observe the intense look of concentration and character-appropriate emotion on Emmett's face, Bay forced herself to stare down at her script as if reading it, though she was much too distracted.

"Alright, that's enough of that for today. You're both doing very well! Let's run the marriage scene. Bay, you're needed on stage!" Mr. Bradshaw called over to her.

"Be right up!" Bay hastily shoved her script and pencil into her bag, dashing up onto the stage and getting into place for the first scene. Marcus, playing Friar Bartholomew (and Friar Laurence, whose lines were both shoved into one part) stood next to Romeo, speaking and signing his part. When her cue came, Bay entered, her smile wide. **"Good even to my ghostly confessor."**

The scene went well since it was short, the bulk of it being in Marcus's heavy monologue about violent delights and violent ends. There were only five or six minutes until the end of class after that, so Mr. Bradshaw reminded them that lines were due the next day and set them loose early to walk up to main campus. Bay felt an arm across her shoulders and laughed when she looked up and saw a nonchalant Emmett.

**"Player," **she signed.

**"Cutie," **he replied with one hand. _Is he flirting with me? _Bay wondered, looking up at Emmett while he was distracted by a piece of art they were passing. _And am I flirting, too? What if something happens and then camp ends and we never see each other again? _

Bay was slightly disappointed with her realization but didn't think any more of it when Emmett reclaimed her attention. **"Earth to Bay," **his arm slid off her shoulder to sign.

**"Sorry, what?" **Bay asked, embarrassed.

**"It's time to eat. See you after?" **Emmett asked, pointing over to their meeting spot by the tree. Bay nodded and smiled, watching Emmett return the smile and walk to his unit's meeting spot. Bay rushed to Van Gogh's meeting place, glad that she was one of the first girls to arrive.

"Who's the hot redheaded guy you were talking to?" Marie, one of her other cabin mates, asked. Bay glanced back to where she and Emmett had been standing a minute before and then answered the question.

"His name is Emmett."

"Do you think you could get me his number, or is he all yours?" Marie inquired.

"You have a video phone?" Bay asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why would I need a video phone to call someone?" Marie laughed. Bay rolled her eyes. It was impossible to hide her irritation at Marie, who acted as though she could own the world in the snap of her fingers. Although she was privileged and prone to drama, Bay understood people and tried her hardest to empathize with and respect them.

"Emmett is deaf."

"Oh, so that's why you guys do that stuff with your hands," Marie giggled. "I thought you were just being weird."

"It's called American Sign-Language, Marie," Bay sighed. Why were people so stupid and uninformed? She was glad that Shakespeare Studies was doing their performance in ASL and she was glad that she had taken those classes at school. Being informed and being able to defend and speak with deaf and hard-of-hearing people was amazing and the culture was gorgeous. Marie had gotten distracted, much to Bay's pleasure, and she didn't speak to the girl at all through dinner.

At another table, Emmett was deep in conversation with Rufus, glad that they spoke their own language. If the other guys knew what they were talking about, Emmett wouldn't be able to live it down for the rest of the month.

**"But what if I really like her? What am I supposed to do?" **Emmett asked, his half-eaten burger lying forgotten on his tray. Rufus popped a soggy French-fry into his mouth and wiped his fingers on his khaki shorts before answering.

**"You should go after her, duh," **Rufus replied.

**"But when camp ends and we have to go separate ways, what will happen?" **Emmett signed frantically.

**"You'll just have to see how things go and where they go. What if nothing happens at all and you're freaked out over nothing?" **Rufus inquired, lazily eating another French-fry and sneaking Emmett's once he ran out. **"She might not even like you."**

**"That's really encouraging, Rufus. But anyway, I still don't know what to do," **Emmett said, reaching down and taking a bite of the burger, not caring that most of his fries were gone.

**"I know what you should do. You should ask Bay to the dance next weekend," **Rufus smirked.

**"How?" **Emmett didn't want to screw up. He really liked Bay. She was creative, funny, smart, kind, hot, and willing to learn sign language and constantly improving at it…she was his Juliet. Although Romeo and Juliet wasn't much of a romance and was really just a story of miscommunication and social issues like prejudice and grudges, the romance seemed sweet. Love blooming so fast…it made Emmett smile. But this time they weren't going to die. He hoped.

**"Just do something cute. Girls like cute," **Rufus answered. Emmett nodded, and they finished their meal without another word. When everyone finally left Main Hall, Rufus smirked over to his friend. **"Good luck, it looks like hotty is waiting for you."**

** "She has a name," **Emmett replied.

**"Whatever, bro," **and Rufus ran off to hang out with a group of dancers.

** "So do you like horror movies?" **Emmett asked once he reached Bay.

**"Yeah. Why are you asking? Are you an axe murderer? Are you going to find my cabin and kill us all in our sleep or something?" **Bay asked, feigning fright.

**"Yes. I am Emmett, axe murderer!" **Emmett teased back. The two of them sat at a table and talked for an hour. Emmett was slowly building a profile of Bay. Figuring out her likes, dislikes, favorites and topics she liked to talk about. She knew a surprising amount of signs for someone who had only taken three years of it in high school. **"Why do you sign so well?"**

** "After I took ASL in high school, I thought the language was so pretty that I wanted to become fluent, so I studied all summer. I learned a lot of signs and how to use them. In my free-time I would talk to the deaf girl who worked at the library. She's a real sweetheart," **Bay explained. Emmett beamed back at her, his heart grown to bursting in his chest as he learned of her dedication and appreciation of his language.

**"I like people like you," **Emmett said.

**"I just like you," **Bay returned. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, not signing anything. **"Do you know what the concert tonight is?"**

** "Yes. It's an orchestra from Europe," **Emmett said, only half paying attention.

**"Sounds boring," **Bay signed, sighing heavily.

**"It probably will be," **Emmett nodded. Bay leaned her head forward on her arms, resting on the table. Emmett tentatively reached forward and began to rub her shoulders. He felt the vibrations of her happy noise through her back. After a few minutes and after Bay completely melted under his strong hands, Emmett stopped. Free-time was almost over.

**"Emmett, thank you," **Bay signed, her arms feeling almost jelly-like.

**"Anytime, Bay," **Emmett smirked. Bay thought her heart would explode and her insides would melt like her tension if he smirked like that at her again. **"But free-time is nearly over and you have to meet up with your unit to sit down for the concert."**

** "Yeah, I guess," **Bay frowned. **"But I'll see you tomorrow, Romeo."**

** "Yes, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. Parting is such sweet sorrow," **and with those words, a triumphantly smirking Emmett took his leave of a bright-red and giddy Bay.

During the concert Bay looked around the Performance Dome for Emmett. She found him sitting with his unit down near the front, by the stage. The music was pretty, but if anyone would have asked Bay what her favorite piece was, she wouldn't have remembered. She spent the rest of the concert gazing at the back of his head, wondering what was going on inside it.

And wondering what that shifting, queasy feeling gripping her heart was.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! Sorry this took so long. I just broke up with my boyfriend so things have been kinda rocky (it was a year and a half relationship). I am pouring my heart into this story, though.**

**I love Bemmett and I need season three so I can cope with my loneliness with some serious ASL love.**

_Song: May I Have This Dance?_

_Artist: High School Musical (Original Film Cast)_

* * *

Bay was standing on the balcony in The Elizabeth, her mind full of things she wanted to paint for her final project, which was supposed to represent her innermost thoughts through a painted scene. The rest of the class had not yet arrived and Bay had found The Elizabeth unlocked, so she wandered in. Pulling herself from the hidden crevices of her brain, Bay gazed down through the theater and began to monologue in nothing but Sign Language. **"What's in a name? Be it neither arm nor hand, nor foot, nor face…nor any other part belonging to a man."**

A loud crashing sound brought her attention back to the stage below. Emmett had slammed one of the wooden-dowel swords into one of the supporting pillars in order to catch her eye. **"Emmett! What are you doing?" **

** "I just wanted to get your attention. It worked," **Emmett smiled up at her. Bay rolled her eyes.

**"I'll be right down," **she signed before turning and rushing down the back stairs and onto the stage. **"What's up?"**

** "Nothing much…" **Emmett replied. But before Bay could respond again, Rufus appeared from around the corner of the opposite stage pillar with a flower and a guitar. Emmett took the flower and handed it to Bay, then began tapping his foot. Bay stood, entranced, as Emmett signed along to Rufus's melodious guitar music. After the world's most beautiful performance of _Paradise _by Coldplay in ASL, Emmett smirked at Bay, **"Go to the dance with me?" **

** "Yes!" **Bay replied, throwing herself into Emmett's arms. She pulled away slowly and looked up into his sparkling blue eyes. **"I would love to go to the dance with you."**

"Oh how cute," Lillian's voice drawled from the gallery behind Emmett. "The freaks can all go to the dance together."

"Freaks?" Bay asked, stepping past Emmett to talk to sneering brunette. "Who are you calling freaks?"

"The kids with no ears, obviously," Lillian laughed, "And you!"

"They are not freaks. And if you really think that, you're an idiot. If we weren't at a prestigious art camp right now, I would knock you flat so fast you wouldn't have time to blink," Bay said, her voice low and menacing. "Do not call them freaks. You're the freak if you can't understand just how beautiful and wonderful they really are. They can do anything and everything you and I can do _except hear, _and that's not as big of a deal as you make it out to be."

"Are you threatening me?" Lillian asked, her eyes wide as she tried to dig herself out the hole she knew she'd created with the rather frightening Bay.

**"No. I'm calling you an ignorant, good-for-nothing, bitch," **Bay signed, before turning back to Emmett. **"I am so sorry."**

** "No, I'm proud of you," **Emmett smiled. He pointed over to a beaming Mr. Bradshaw over near the entrance to The Elizabeth. **"He translated everything you said."**

** "I really am sorry," **Bay apologized again.

**"No need," **Emmett nodded before turning to Rufus, **"You'd better get out of here and get to your own class. Let me know if you learn any cool new chords in your class today."**

** "Later guys," **Rufus smiled, **"And congrats on the hot date, Emmett."**

** "Thanks," **Emmett rolled his eyes.

**"He thinks I'm hot?" **Bay asked with raised eyebrows.

** "Well you are," **Emmett replied. Bay blushed profusely. Emmett picked the flower up from the floor where Bay had dropped it during her angry tirade at Lillian and put it in Bay's ponytail. **"And now everyone knows that you're my date to the dance."**

** "You're going to make me blush," **Bay smiled shyly.

**"I think it may be too late," **Emmett smirked.

"Alright, everyone, today we're going to be working on a very awkward scene," Mr. Bradshaw said and signed, stepping to the center of the stage and looking out over the students. "The kissing scene."

"How is that awkward?" Lillian asked, her angered gaze drifting to Bay and Emmett, who were sitting comfortably close to each other.

"It may not be awkward for our hero and heroine, but it will be awkward for everyone else, how about that?" Mr. Bradshaw clarified, raising an eyebrow at the miffed student. Lillian shook her mane of brown hair and glared over at her two very red, but still smiling, peers. Bay waved, getting Mr. Bradshaw's attention. "Yes, Bay?"

**"Do we actually have to kiss during rehearsal, or can we stage-kiss now and save the real kissing for the show so it's more real?" **Bay asked. Mr. Bradshaw took a second to be impressed with her ability to sign more fluently, knowing Emmett was obviously a good influence on her.

**"For now, just stage-kiss, I like the idea of it being real and raw during the performance," **Mr. Bradshaw replied. Lillian huffed.

"Can you please tell everyone else what is going on?" she whined.

"For your information, Miss Lillian, they will be stage-kissing during rehearsals," Mr. Bradshaw informed her, growing rather peeved with her behavior himself. He had meant to educate the students on deaf culture, not create even more enemies to it. Lillian's unwillingness to learn left him with few options, so he tried his best to ignore her rudeness. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, places!"

After rehearsal, Bay and Emmett walked to their meeting place before splitting for dinner, as usual. **"That was fun!" **

**"Yeah it was," **Emmett agreed, holding back his urge to blush as best as possible. They had run through the scene four or five times, each time it was harder for him to put his thumb in front of her mouth to keep them from kissing for real. Bay was unbelievable. Bright, angry, beautiful Bay. The girl that _he_ was taking to the Silver Lake Fine Arts Camp Annual Summer Dance. The little art major who hid her feelings in the canvases she so beautifully designed.

**"I'll see you after dinner," **Bay smiled, dashing off before he could reply. Emmett shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. Keeping himself in check around her was getting increasingly difficult.

**"Dude, you look like you got hit by the love truck," **Rufus laughed once they were in the food line.

**"It was more like a semi," **Emmett replied. Rufus laughed and took his tray, effectively cutting off their conversation until they sat down at the table again. Emmet stabbed a roasted carrot and chewed thoughtfully, his eyes sweeping across the expanse of students. Rufus waved, getting his attention again.

**"Why not ask her to be your girlfriend?" **Rufus asked.

**"But what if we don't live near each other? When would we see each other? How?" **Emmett asked.

**"So you haven't figured out where you guys live?" **Rufus signed slowly, sarcastically, rolling his eyes. **"Shouldn't that have been the first thing you did?"**

** "We're not very good at this," **Emmett snorted. Rufus ate a chicken nugget and nodded.

**"I noticed," **he replied. He wiped his hands on his pants and stood to take care of his tray. **"Just don't let her slip past you while you're daydreaming."**

** "Thanks," **Emmett said, turning to finish his mostly-cold dinner and ruminate on his friend's advice. Rufus had a point. They needed to discuss where they lived in accordance to each other. If they were going to have a working relationship, distance would be important. Deaf-hearing relationships were hard enough, long-distance would just add to the problem. People didn't do very well often enough. Now this.

Emmett shook the thoughts free from his head and stood, taking care of his tray, and exiting Main Hall. Bay wasn't at their meeting spot yet, so he went and sat under the tree, tapping his foot and half-heartedly signing a favorite song of his. He was interrupted when an acorn went flying into his forehead, making him look up. Bay stood, a mischievous smile on her face. **"Ow!" **Emmett spelled. Bay rolled her eyes.

**"It wasn't even that hard," **she retorted. Emmett pouted. **"Want me to kiss it all better?"**

** "What?" **Emmett was taken aback. He blushed, his face nearly out-doing the red in his hair.

** "Want. Me. To. Kiss. It. Better?" **Bay asked, signing each word in its own sentence. All Emmett could do was nod and try not to freak out when Bay sat down next to him and leaned forward, kissing him on the forehead and quickly pulling away. **"You're lucky. I could have gotten in trouble for doing that."**

** "Thanks." **Emmett blushed.

**"No problem," **Bay smiled.

**"I need to know something," **Emmett said, his signing slowing with his slight apprehension at the answer.

**"What is it?" **Bay asked.

**"Where do you live?" **Emmett asked, holding his breath and waiting for her to respond.

**"Mission Hills," **she signed, raising an eyebrow. **"You?"**

** "A little ways away from East Riverside, near Carlton," **Emmett beamed. **"I could ride my motorcycle to your house in like twenty minutes!"**

** "Emmett!" **was all Bay could sign before they threw themselves at each other and hugged like the world depended on it. Things would go much more smoothly from here on out, and they both knew it. So they sat under the tree and just held hands and smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

**C'mon guys! It's TECH WEEK for a major show right after a BREAK UP! The least you could do is give me some seriously awesome reviews! If you read this chapter and don't leave a review (even if it's just a couple words) I might cry! Mostly just because I need the moral support right now.**

**Disclaimer: ABC Family owns everything.**

_Song: I'd Love You to Want Me_

_Arist: Declan Galbraith_

* * *

Bay wasn't paying attention to anyone else in her art class. The paint brush she was holding was rushing across the paper and forming lines, grooves and pieces of her soul. All laid out in color were the feelings she had for Emmett. _I've never felt this way about a guy before. I've never had someone who understood me so well. Even though we don't speak the same language naturally, we can understand each other and help each other. Like a machine…but we're two separate machines functioning together. Blooming._ Before she knew what she had done, a flower only half-opened surrounded by small gears was sprawled across the canvas and her teacher was standing behind her, looking impressed. "This is exactly what I'd wanted when I assigned this project! Good work, Bay!"

"Thanks," Bay blushed, "But actually I didn't even realize what I was painting until it was finished. I was just too lost in the paint and my thoughts."

"That's the sign of a good artist," Bernette winked, before walking off to inspect the work of other students. She turned and called back, "Oh and Bay, please clean up your station before you leave early. Leave your canvas up on the wall to dry."

"Thanks, Bernette," Bay smiled, hopping off of her stool and setting her canvas on the large drying rack spread across one wall of the studio classroom. She washed her brushes and paint jars and took care of her palette. When everything was in its proper place and her hair wasn't full of green stripes (she was enthusiastic, nobody could deny that) she took her backpack and exited the Prescott Building.

She meandered over and sat beneath her and Emmett's tree, pulling out her sketchbook and beginning to lazily draw the pencil back and forth until an eye started to appear. No other features, just an eye. She started to fill it in with color and then work the details. Slowly, a bright blue iris stared back at her from the previously white page. "Really, Bay, can you draw anything but him?" she asked herself, turning to a new page and beginning to do a sketch of The Elizabeth's stage. She was in the middle of shading in one of the pillars when she heard the first five clicks.

Bay looked up, straight into Emmett's camera lens. **"What are you doing?" **Bay asked.

Emmett let his camera rest against his chest, **"I'm in photography, so I'm taking pictures."**

** "I see that, but why me?" **

** "Because you're beautiful. Now keep drawing," **Emmett ordered. Bay hid her red face and resumed her picture, trying to ignore the almost constant clicking of Emmett's lens going off. He got her attention by pulling a strand of her hair and smiled when she looked up, peeved. **"Class is almost over. See you after lunch."**

** "Later, Emmett," **Bay signed, stuffing her sketchbook and pencil case into her bag and wandering over to her cabin's meeting place before meals. Had it only been a week and a half since she'd met Emmett? The crush was developing into something more fast, and she didn't blame herself. He was handsome, funny, nice, artistic, and sweet. Everything she'd wanted in a guy. Plus he was a _great _listener. The ever smaller language barrier was detrimental, but not difficult to overcome after practicing so much and having him help her with words she didn't fully understand.

Her mind was still wandering as she took a seat at the lunch table and began absently tapping a rhythm on the table. "Could you stop?" a voice interrupted.

"Sorry," Bay's head snapped up, her eyes focusing on the girl who'd interrupted her reverie. Emily's grey-blue eyes stared back at her, full of irritation. Bay lowered her head again, trying to resume her happy train of thought without the tapping of her nervous fingers.

"Who's that guy you're always signing to?" Emily asked, successfully interrupting her again.

"Emmett," Bay said, still gazing at the tabletop. She traced the grooves in the wood-patterned vinyl with a red-painted nail.

"He's cute," Emily asserted, flicking a piece of platinum blond hair behind her ear. "Maybe I should ask him to the dance. Do you think you could teach me how?"

"He already has a date," Bay snapped. She didn't mean to sound so angry, but she wasn't in the mood to deal with Emily's overbearing attitude. And, although it was almost embarrassing to admit so early on, she was protective of Emmett.

"Oh…who?" Emily asked, standing with the rest of the cabin to get in the line for food. Bay followed, suddenly losing her appetite.

"Me," she replied.

"What about you?" Marie interrupted.

"She's going to the dance with Emmett," Emily put forth. Bay blinked rapidly.

"I can answer these questions myself," she huffed. Emily rolled her eyes.

"They're not even in the same league," Marie sniffed. "He's so hot!"

"Neither of you speak his language," Bay interjected.

"So?" Emily snorted. "That doesn't mean we couldn't have a chance with him."

"A language barrier is a huge problem in a relationship," Bay accepted her tray from the cafeteria attendant and thanked her before turning back to the conversation. "He is brilliant and wonderful and you wouldn't even know because you wouldn't be able to understand what he was saying. I'm lucky; I chose to learn his language. But you can't just date someone based on looks. There has to be a degree of understanding there, too."

"Well isn't someone just the relationship guru," Marie snorted, flicking her brown hair over her shoulder and taking her seat again. Bay sat down and took an angry bite of her pudding, ignoring the world for the rest of lunch and hurrying out of Main Hall when it was over. Lizzy, another cabin mate, caught up to her.

"Hey, I think you and Emmett make a great couple," she smiled, glancing confidently over to Bay. Bay couldn't help but smile back. Lizzy was very kind and self-assured, which made it difficult to disagree with her about anything.

"Thanks, Lizzy. I just don't think they'll ever understand and it makes me sad. It's disappointing," Bay explained. Lizzy nodded her agreement.

"I'd stay and talk about it more, but I think Deaf Charming is waiting for you over there; have fun," Lizzy pointed out before going off in a different direction. Bay meandered over to the tree where Emmett was patiently waiting for her, a smile plastered across his handsome face. It took all of Bay's self control not to turn bright red when the smile was aimed at her directly.

**"Hey Emmett," **Bay greeted.

**"Hey beautiful," **Emmett replied, gauging her reaction, which was a good one. _She's so beautiful when she blushes. I mean, she's beautiful all the time, but when she's an adorable shade of red…I'm proud that I'm the one who did it. I'm proud to call her my friend. My Juliet. My inspiration, almost a muse. Definitely a muse. I can't stop smiling every time I'm with her. If things keep going this well...it might be love sooner than expected._

**"Flattery won't get you everything," **Bay chastised, pretending she didn't like the unexpected compliment.

**"No, but it did get you to blush. You're cute when you blush. And when you laugh, or smile, or exist," **Emmett explained, watching her face turn two shades redder. He gave her the offhanded smirk (his signature) and then offered her his arm. **"Ice cream, I'll pay?"**

** "I'd love some!" **Bay agreed, allowing him to walk her over to the snack bar. Emmett ordered a vanilla and Bay got chocolate, each of them laughing at the other's decision.

**"Where should we sit?" **Emmett asked, pointing to several empty tables around Main Camp.

**"How about over there? It's private, but we can still see everyone," **Bay suggested, pointing to a table beneath a group of trees on the corner of Main Camp. **"Plus it's shady, so our ice cream won't melt right away."**

** "Good idea," **their awkward one-handed signing ended when they sat down and happily finished their ice-cream cones in peace. When they had scarfed down the refreshing and sugary treats, Bay brought out her sketch book. Emmett glanced up from wiping his hands on his pants. **"Can I see?"**

** "Yeah," **Bay handed him the notebook. Emmett flipped through it, admiring Bay's beautiful work. When he got to the picture of The Elizabeth he paused.

**"It's not finished," **he frowned.

**"You interrupted me," **Bay reminded him.

**"Right, sorry," **Emmett smiled. **"But those pictures of you are developing right now. I'll show them to you when they're all finished. I think you're going to like what I've done."**

** "You didn't do any weird photo-shopping, did you?" **Bay asked, crinkling her nose in distaste. Emmett laughed.

**"No. The idea was to look organic," **Emmett explained. **"I think you'll like them. Just wait and see."**

** "Okay," **Bay sighed. She looked down at her sketchbook again, flipping through a couple pages and looking at different sketches. Emmett was observing her. The way her curly, dark hair moved and the way it contrasted with her brown eyes and pale skin. The intensity of her gaze as she scrutinized her own work and the way she looked at the world in through a mixture of wonder and criticism. Her curiosity and beauty dumbfounded Emmett. If he had been oral, if he could form coherent words on a regular basis, he would have been speechless every time he was around Bay. She looked up at him, noticing his gaze. **"What is it?"**

** "If I could talk, I wouldn't have anything to say when we were together," **Emmett signed. Bay raised an eyebrow in shock. _This didn't sound good._

**"Why not?"**

** "Because you take my breath away. I wouldn't have anything to form words with. That's why I'm glad I can talk with my hands," **Emmett mused.

**"That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard," **Bay said. **"Well, seen."**

** "You're the sweetest thing I've ever seen," **Emmett retorted.

**"Emmett if you don't stop making me blush I'm going to be red forever and it's going to be all your fault," **Bay scolded. Emmett put his hands up, signaling surrender.

**"Want to go down to The Elizabeth and wait for everyone? We can talk or draw or whatever you want," **Emmett suggested. Bay nodded, stuffing her sketchbook back into her back and pulling the strap across her shoulder. Emmett grabbed his backpack and followed Bay, catching up to her and putting his hand in hers. His blue eyes searched hers for approval and she merely smiled, squeezing his hand slightly.

**"Ok?" **he signed one-handed.

**"Ok." **She signed back, her eyes glued to his. **"Perfect."**

From a distance away, Marie and Emily were gawking. "It's just not fair," Marie pouted. "Just because she speaks that stupid sign language."

"Well maybe we should learn some," Emily shrugged. "Then we could talk to him."

"I guess," Marie sighed melodramatically, "But that would take such a long time and we only have two weeks!"

"What if you don't live anywhere near each other?" Emily asked, ever the voice of reason.

"I would find a way," Marie huffed. "He's definitely my style."

"Except for the part where you can't understand each other at all," Emily rolled her eyes. Marie looked over at the blond girl, her brown eyes full of irritation.

"What class does Bay have at the beginning of the day?" Marie asked.

"You mean, what's her major?"

"Yes, what is Bay's major?" Marie inquired again, teeth clenched in an effort not to punch the glasses off the small blond girl before her.

"Painting in the Prescott Building, why?" Emily asked. Marie stood, beginning to meander in that general direction. Emily ran to catch up, repeating her question. "Why?"

"Because I have a little surprise planned for prissy Miss Bay," Marie snorted. "She can't treat me like that and get away with it."

"I don't think I want to be a part of this," Emily frowned, breaking off from Marie, "But good luck."


	6. Chapter 6

**I am all kinds of seriously disappointed...where are all my reviewers? Missing? Eaten by wolves? Well whatever. I just hope there are enough to keep me going, cause I'm super tired lately. So many shows and drama to deal with! **

**Anyway, the next installment.**

_Song: Hello Fascination_

_Artist: Breathe Carolina_

* * *

Bay walked into her second art class of the day, her smile still in place from the afternoon before. Spending time with Emmett always made Bay feel so full of life and excitement. She hummed a tune as she set her bag down next to her easel. There was a skip in her step when she walked to the front of the room to get the instruction sheet for the day, which would outline the assignment she would hopefully finish early. She was in the middle of sorting through her stack of brushes, still humming, when Bernette tapped her on the shoulder, startling her and causing her to drop a brush.

"Sorry," Bernette apologized, picking up the brush before Bay could and handing it to the student. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright, I frighten easily," Bay laughed, setting the brush in its place. Bernette looked at Bay sadly and shook her head, sending her copper curls bouncing.

"Bay, come with me, please," Bernette muttered. Bay followed her instructor to the back of the room, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Did I do something wrong?" Bay asked nervously, her hands rubbing together in front of her. Bernette smiled again, looking glum despite her attempt at a cheery face.

"No, you haven't done anything wrong, but…" the older woman trailed off. By then they had reached the showroom where all the student's paintings were stored until the end of the month, when the artists could either donate them or take them home. Bay's masterpiece from the day before, the flower with the gears pulling it open, was covered in splatters of red paint. Bay's mouth hung open.

"Oh my gosh," was all she could say.

"Someone wrote you a nasty message on the back," Bernette sighed. "And it's a shame, that painting was extraordinary."

"I'll paint something new today," Bay tried to cheer them both up with her optimism. "Can I see the writing?"

"Of course, here," Bernette pulled the painting down from the nail it had been hanging on and handed it to Bay, who slowly turned it around. Across the back of the canvas in bright red sharpie marker was an angry note.

_Stay away from Emmett if you know what's good for you. _

"Well that's a little unnerving," Bay said, putting the painting in a nearby trash receptacle. "But I think I can handle myself."

"Who is Emmett?" Bernette asked as she and Bay walked back into the slowly-filling classroom.

"He's a boy from my Shakespeare Studies minor who asked me to the dance," Bay shrugged. It hadn't seemed important to her that she was hanging around with Emmett. It made her think of the exchange between her and Marie the day before, which made the little dark cloud above her head seem even darker. She tried to brush the thoughts away and focus on the positive, but it was difficult, especially now with one of her all-time favorite paintings ruined.

"Why would anyone be upset with you if you hung around with him?" Bernette asked as Bay began to set up her brushes and paints, distracting herself with determination to out-do the ruined painting with that day's assignment.

"I don't know. Most of the kids at this camp don't even speak his language! I don't understand why anyone would be upset!" Bay proclaimed.

"Don't speak his language?" Bernette asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Emmett is deaf. He and I talk in sign language. American Sign Language specifically," Bay explained, her station now fully set up.

"Well I'm proud of you and your work and your friendship with this Emmett boy, whoever he is," Bernette announced. "So impress me with another one of your brilliant paintings, and don't go so heavy on the dark colors this time. I want something light. Can you do that, Bay?"

"Yes, Bernette," Bay grinned, setting to work on her daily assignment, her brush already flying into the light green paint. It wasn't going to be for nothing this time. No, Bay was going to stun everybody with this painting, maybe even herself.

An hour later, as Bay was rinsing her brushes in the sink, Bernette came bouncing up, her brown eyes alight with excitement. "Bay, I love the painting! It's absolutely beautiful!"

"I based it on Emmett," Bay shrugged. "And he's beautiful."

"Young love inspired art is always the most passionate," Bernette teased, walking Bay back to her station with clean brushes in hand. "Explain it to me."

"Well I really liked the idea of the flower, but I wanted to change it up. I painted his eye as vibrantly as I could, since he expresses so much emotion through them," Bay smiled to herself as she continued to talk, "And the hands that form the petals say 'I love you' in sign language."

"It's inspiring," the teacher sighed, "You're inspiring. You make my paint-fume fueled heart beat proudly."

"Thanks," Bay blushed. Bernette clapped her on the shoulder enthusiastically.

"You can head out early again today if you want," the instructor beamed. "Once again you have earned it!"

Bay packed up her bag and drifted from the art building, Emmett Bledsoe's face on the forefront of her mind. She couldn't picture anyone else being as beautiful as him, inside and out. He listened to her, conversed with her, taught her, made her smile, laugh, and contemplate life in a way she'd never been challenged to before. He was almost like an addiction. But the only problem was: Bay didn't want to quit.

In the photography lab, Emmett was just pulling his pictures of Bay out from the development room. The darkroom was one of Emmett's favorite places to work, but he was very excited to show the pictures to Bay. Done all in black and white and hand-colored by Emmett in various shades of purple and blue and red and orange was Bay's picture. A picture of her drawing, a picture of her laughing…just images and stills that seemed to capture her essence. And over that essence, Emmett had piled on the colors of his feelings for Bay.

Brilliant, bright, beautiful, angry, illuminating, colorful Bay. _His _Bay. His Juliet.

**"Looking good," **the teacher signed, looking over his pictures. **"Who is the girl?"**

** "Her name is Bay," **Emmett smiled.

**"And you've got the hots for her," **the teacher laughed, handing the picture back. Emmett raised his eyebrows and the instructor rolled his eyes. **"It's all over your face."**

** "Deaf kids are really bad at hiding their emotions," **Emmett shrugged.

**"Good. The world could use more people like you," **Mr. Brady nodded before walking away to check on other students. Emmett smiled and nodded to himself. _Maybe the world could use some more people like me. And some more people like Bay and Mr. Brady. People who are willing to learn and adapt and love without asking _why _to everything._

**"I'm all finished," **Emmett signed to his teacher. Mr. Brady looked over at his clean station and nodded.

**"You can go early," **Mr. Brady agreed. Emmett packed up his things in a hurry and darted out the door, headed for Main Campus. Maybe he could see Bay before lunch and show her the pictures. As luck would have it, sitting beneath 'their' tree was a very lonely looking brunette.

**"Hey," **Emmett signed, getting Bay's attention. She looked up and smiled. **"I have something to show you."**

** "What?" **

** "What do you think of this?" **Emmett showed her the picture Mr. Brady had allowed him to take out of the classroom. Bay took it from him and observed it, her eyes growing wide. Emmett nervously rubbed his hands together.

**"Emmett, it's amazing! You're amazing!" **Bay stood, throwing herself into Emmett's arms. He breathed in the vanilla scent of her hair and crushed her slight body to his, holding her tightly and happily. He could feel vibrations against his chest, she was saying something, but he didn't care. He was just too happy to be holding her.

**"Bay," **Emmett signed once he'd released her, **"I just want you to know that you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."**

** "You're my muse," **Bay replied shyly.

**"Then let us forever be together, because art born from passion is the purest form," **Emmett smiled.

**"You're so poetic," **Bay teased.

**"It would be more poetic if you would let me kiss you," **Emmett smirked.

**"Where's the fun in that?" **Bay asked. **"Then you would have gotten what you wanted and I'd have nothing left to barter with."**

** "You think I only stick around because I want to kiss you?" **Emmett asked, feigning offense.

**"No…I hope not," **Bay signed back.

**"No, I stick around because I find you utterly intriguing," **Emmett laughed. **"Now I think we'd better go to lunch. See you later, beautiful."**

** "See you later, too, handsome."**

And they each walked in separate directions with the same elated feeling buoying them up and making them grin. Bay and Emmett were falling in love, and they couldn't be happier about it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for this short sort of filler chapter! I've been so busy lately, and I think I'm getting sick. Thanks for the lovely reviews! I appreciate each and every one of them.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Switched at Birth. Or Ann.**

**Please enjoy and leave a review!**

* * *

Bay brushed her hair one last time, making sure the dark waves were as shiny as possible. "How do I look?" she asked her bunkmate, Ann. The other girl smiled back at her, brown eyes sparkling.

"Bay you look absolutely beautiful," Ann observed. Bay motioned for Ann to sit in front of her so she could French-braid the other's hair. As Bay quickly pulled Ann's long brown hair into an intricate braid, Ann started up a conversation. "So you're going with that one guy, right?"

"Emmett? Yes," Bay smiled.

"He's cute," Ann said. Bay tensed up, feeling slightly apprehensive, and Ann noticed the change in the atmosphere. "But don't worry. I think he's cute but I'd have no way to communicate with him. Plus you two make a super cute couple. I wouldn't intrude on that."

"Thanks," Bay sighed. "Not a lot of people are being so nice about it."

"They're all just jealous," Ann shrugged. "You two have obvious chemistry, and a lot of people wish they did, too."

"You make it sound so simple."

"That's cause it really is that simple," Ann said, standing up again once Bay had finished braiding her hair. "Now let's get changed! Marie and the others have already beaten us to the dance!"

"Right!" Bay declared, hurriedly changing from her Silver Lake Camp uniform into one of her signature dark-colored outfits from home. Clothes and jewelry in place, Bay and Ann dashed from the cabin and down the path leading to the Dome, where the campers were gathered to dance.

"Where's your date?" Ann asked, looking around for the group of friends she'd intended to dance with.

"Over there," Bay pointed, spotting Emmett in the crowd. "I'm gonna go get him. Later, Ann!"

"Adios, Bay," Ann giggle, heading the opposite direction. Bay caught up with Emmett and tapped him on the shoulder.

**"Hey good looking," **Bay grinned.

**"Hello beautiful," **Emmett responded. Bay grabbed his hand and pulled him to a corner of the dance floor that wasn't super crowded. It was semi-near the speakers, which meant that the music was blaring almost as loudly as possible. _Emmett should definitely be able to feel the vibrations in the floor from this spot, _Bay thought. **"I like this song. Good beat." **

** "Glad you like it. I like to dance," **Bay replied, glad that she had found a good spot for them both.

**"Then dance with me," **Emmett ordered, grabbing one of her hands in his and placing the other on her waist, pulling her close. Bay laughed, allowing Emmett to guide her in a crazy pattern of steps, just enjoying being close to one another. The pulsing pop music was barely understandable and the other teens talking over it made the lyrics that much more jumbled. Bay was happy to be so close to Emmett, merely enjoying being near him.

**"I think you're sweet," **Bay pulled away to sign.

**"I think you're the sweetest," **Emmett returned before pulling her closer once again. They danced together for another half an hour before Emmett took a step back. **"I need a drink."**

** "I agree," **Bay nodded, letting Emmett take one of her hands and guide her to the water fountain just outside the Dome's fence. They took turns drinking, eventually just leaning against the fence to talk, the dance in the background long forgotten by both.

"Well if it isn't the weirdest couple on campus," a sneering, nasal voice interrupted. Bay turned and rolled her eyes at Marie.

**"Brace yourself," **Bay signed at Emmett.

**"Let's go," **Emmett shrugged, pulling away from the fence and reaching for Bay's hand again. She nodded.

**"Good idea," **she agreed. Marie wasn't having any of it. She marched around until she was in front of them again, her cronies standing behind them, blocking either path. "What do you want?"

"I just want Emmett to dance with me," Marie smirked. Emmett shook his head and made a disgusted face, effectively offending Marie. "I'm prettier than Bay! Why won't you dance with me?"

**"Because you're gross," **Emmett replied. Bay interpreted for Marie, whose eyes nearly bulged out of her head.

"No one has ever dared to say something like that to me!" she cried.

**"There's a first time for everything," **Emmett smiled back. He took Bay's hand again and pushed past the stunned Marie and back to the dance floor with Bay in tow.

**"Nice, maybe she'll leave us alone now," **Bay beamed.

**"I hope," **Emmett rolled his eyes to emphasize his point.

**"Shall we dance?" **Bay asked, pulling him closer. He merely nodded and began to sway back and forth, the beat in his heart and his girl in his arms.

Later that night, Bay fell onto her bunk and heaved a sigh of contentment.

"Someone sounds really happy," Ann teased, changing into her pajamas.

"You have no idea," Bay replied, sitting up. She'd already changed and pulled her hair into a ponytail. "How did the dance go for you?"

"It went really well! I had a fun time," Ann smiled. Marie and Tacia entered the cabin, their eyes narrowing upon seeing Bay. "How'd the dance go for you two?"

"There weren't many cute boys," Marie huffed. "I guess all the artsy ones are gay or geeks."

"That's not true," Bay piped, her tone light and cheerful. "The ones who aren't gay or geeky just aren't willing to put up with people as ignorant and rude as you!"

"Shut up, Kennish," Marie moped, pulling her pajamas out of her bag and tossing them onto her pillow.

**"Okay, you ugly jerk," **Bay smiled back. Marie nodded, seemingly in accomplishment at her ability to get Bay to obey her royal commands. **"You're a royal bitch, Marie, and someday you'll realize it. But it may be too late."**

"Just go to bed," Ann smiled with a wink. "Before you get yourself into trouble with your sassy hands.

"Night Ann," Bay laughed, pulling her sleeping bag over her shoulders.

"Night Bay."


End file.
